Suction cleaner



May 30, 1933. w H TUCKER 1,911,409

SUCTI ON CLEANER Filed Feb. i6, 1929 lll Patented May 30, y 1933 .UNITED STATES PATENT -ol-'Flcl-z WILHEB H. TUCIEBrOF CANTON, OHIO, ABSIGNOR '.[0 THE HOOVE COMPANY, .L

, CORPORATION 0I' lOHIO sUcTIoN emanan .Application led February 16, 1929. Serial No. 340,544.

In the modern suction cleaner, maximum cleaning eiliciency has been attained through the mediums of high suction and positive agitation. It is a common experience, however, in the design of single nozzle machines encompassing both high vacuum and positive agitation that the including of the positive agitator within the nozzle mouth necessitates the building of the nozzle in a relatively large size with a correspondingly wide mouth. The action of the vacuum in the nozzle, when the machine is in opera- -tion cleaner construction having cleaning efficiency thanany known eretoy tion, is to draw the carpet up within the mouth against the agitator. In the operation of a suction cleaning machine the sec-v tion of floor covering drawn into the nozzle mouth increases with the width of said mouth and the force necessary to break the seal of the nozzle lips and the covering varies with the displacement. With the vacuum of the cleaner increased to the point of maximum air-cleaning eicie'ncy, in the usual machine having a wide nozzle mouth, the displacement of surface covering at the nozzle mouth is so excessive as to greatly increase this breaking force and so raise the propelling force necessary for the cleaner to a prohibitive point. In view of this condition it has been necessary heretofore to compromise, because oi the necessarily large nozzle mouth, by the lowering of the vacuum below the `point of maximum cleaning eiliciency to a point where the propelling force has not been so high as to be burdensome to the user.`

In a suction cleaner constructed in aecordance with this invention, use may be made of both the maximum cleaning power of the high suction and of positive agitation without need for compromise with the resulting efficiency sacrifice. A structure has been provided in which there is no coniiict between the two means and also in which higher vacuums than any heretofore feasible in the portable suction cleaner are found.

The primary object of this invention is, therefore, to provide a new and novel suceater fore. A second object of this invention is to provide a suction cleaner in which no sacrifice of the air-cleaning power has been made through the incorporation in the machine of positive agitating means. `A further object of this invention is to provide a suction cleaner having both hi h and low suction nozzles, the vacuum for t e high suction nozzle being supplied by two fans in tandem andthe vacuum for the low suction nozzle being supplied by one fan. A

still further object of this invention is to' provide in a suction cleaner construction a igh pressure' and a low pressure nozzle, the low pressure nozzle encompassing agitating means.

Reference is now made to the drawing which shows a cross section through a suction cleaner constructed in accordance with this invention. The body of the machine comprises a motor casingv 1; a fan chamber 2 connected directly to the motor casingl; a central chamber 3 opening into the fan chamber 2 and directly connected to the low suction nozzle 4; a second fan chamber 5 ositioned directly forward of the interm iate or central chamber 3 and interiorly connected thereto by exhaust outlet 6; and a high-vacuum nozzle 7 connected directly to the fan chamber 5. The machine is supported upon the surface undergoing cleaning with the nozzle mouths in the proper working relation by front supporting wheels 8, of which one is shown, and by a rear supporting wheel- 9 attached to the motor casing. Ahandle bail 10 is pivotally connected at 11 to the motor casin in order that the machine may be propelle The operative mechanism comprises a motor, not shown, `positioned in the casing 1; from which motor shaft 12 extends into the fan chamber 2 and on into the intermediate chamber 3. Positioned lixedly upon the shaft 12 in the fan chamber 2 is the fan 13 adapted, in the operation of the machine, to draw air from the intermediate chamber 3 and exhaust same through the exhaust outlet 14 of the fan chamber 2. The outlet 14 is adapted to receive the opening of a dust bag orY suitable depository for matter drawn through the machine and exhausted therefrom.

Opening directly into the intermediate chamber 3 and positioned therebelow is the low-vacuum nozzle 4 within which is rotatably mounted themotor driven agitator 15 of a common and well known type. Driving means for agitator 15 consists of a belt 16 directly connected to the pulley 17 on the shaft 18 which is directly connected, through a mechanism hereinafter described, to the motor shaft 12.

Positioned within the fan chamber 5 and fixedly mounted upon the shaft 18, which is carried by bearing 19 in the rear wall of said fan chamber, is the fan 2O functioning,

in the operation of the machine, to draw' air from the high-vacuum nozzle 7, carried by the forward wall of chamber 5, and exhaust same throu h the exhaust outlet Sinto the central cham er 3. The exhaust outlet 6 is directly connected to the central chamber 3 and is held by securing means 21, 21,

. etc.

The shaft 18 upon which the forward fan 20- and the driving pulley 17 are mounted is directly connected to the motor shaft 12, in the operation of the machine, by means of a slidable collar 22 which overlies the ends it encloses the end of shaft 18 with the' pin 25 seated within the groove 23. Relative movement between the two shafts is then prevented throu h the end of both shafts bein held in xed relation in the collar 22 t rough the respective pin and groove relationships. Positioned in the central chamber 3 directly above the collar 22 is thel removable cap 28 through which access may be had to the interior of chamber 3 when it is desired to disconnect the two shafts.

In the operation of a cleaner constructed in accordance with this invention the forward nozzle 7 is provided with suction by the action of fans 20 and 13, the Aconstruction being such that an air passage is Yprovided from said nozzle throu l1 the fan chamber 5 into chamber 3, w 'ch is the low-pressure area o f the fan 13, and thence by the action of fan 13 into exhaust outlet 14. This series or tandem arrangement of the fans provides the nozzle 7 with a very high vacuum because it makes use of the draft of both fans, the fan 13 functioning to reduce the back pressure on fan 20, thereby increasing the effective suction in the nozzle 7 by the same amount as the decrease in the back pressure on fan 13. The nozzle 7, as it contains no agitator, is made of a relatively small width thereby permitting of the use of high vacuum without undue displacement of the surface covering which would increase the resistance to movement of the machine.

The nozzle 4 is provided with suction which is low as compared to that provided for nozzle 7 for while the relatively large capacity fan 13 displaces the air within the chamber 3, and so the nozzle 4, the actual reduction in pressure is relatively low because of the fact that the fan 20 exhausts therein tending to build up the pressure. The suction rovided for nozzle 4 is therefore the suctlon which the fan 13 can provide for it after it has reduced the pressure built up by the fan 20 exhausting into chamber 3. With fan 13 of only moderately greater ca acity than the fan 20 the effective suction o nozzlev 4 will be comparatively low. This condition is desirable in the noz'- zle 4, however, because of the necessarily relatively great width required by the presence of the agitator therein, for with a high vacuum in this nozzle the floor covering would be drawn too far therein and the resistance to movement of the cleaner excessively increased.

In the operation of the machine the surface covering is acted upon by the high suction of the straight-air nozzle 7 andby the low suction and agitation provided by the nozzle 4. As the suction cleaner is propelled over the surface covering the foreign matter therein is loosened or dislodged by the action of the agitator and partly removed by the inrushing air in the low-pressure nozzle. Upon the high-vacuum nozzle passing over the same area the dirt is completely removed by the force of the inrushing air. It is to be understood that both functions are necessary for maximum cleaning eiliciency.

In the event that it is necessary to equip the machine with a new belt for driving the agitator 15, the old belt mav be removed and taken out of the chamber 3 through the disconnection of the shafts 12 and 18 'by sliding of the collar 22 rearwardly upon the shaft 12 thereby compressing the spring 27 and exposing the spaced ends of the two shafts. The old belt can then be displaced downwardly therebetween and then encloses only the rotor 15. The removal of the belt from rotor 15 is accomplished by removing one end wall of the nozzle and displacing the rotor through the resulting aperture. Nozzles of the removable end type are old Aand well known and the manner in which the rotor is removed forms no part of the present invention. The connecting of the new bfilt would be tion.

Means have also been rovided for use of the invention with dusting tools through the revision of an opening' 29 in the forward) face of the nozz e 7. nthe ordinary operation of the machine as a suction cleaner the opening 29 is closed by means of a cap 30, said cap being easil removable so that the insertion of the mac ine-end of the dusting tool is an easy matter. With the dusting tool inserted through 'the opening 29 the nozzle 7 willbe entirely cut off rovxding a direct opening into the fan c amber 5 for the tool. In order that the effective suction of the two fans in tandem ma not be reduced by air being drawn throng the rear nozzle 4 when the dustin t0ols are being used, a closure plate 31 1s provided which is adapted to be swung into positlon over the mouth of said nozzle entirel closy ing same. The closure plate 31 is pivoted at 32 to the rear wall o the nozzle 4 and, in the ordinary operation of the cleaner, is held up out of the way under the fan chamber by the action of spring 33.

From a consideration of the foregoing description and the drawing relating thereto, it is apparent that applicant has p rovided a new and novel construction for suction cleaners incorporating the desirable features of both high-vacuum straight-air machines and relative low-vacuum machines supplied with positive agitation means and ywhich is unaccompanied by the attendant diiliculties which have heretofore been present; in such combinations.

I claim:

1. A suction cleaner having a (plurality of nozzles, an agitator in one o sai nozzles,

rsimply the reverse opera- -a plurality of fan chambers one connected to each nozzle, means connecting said fan chambers in series and fans within said fan chambers.

2. In a suction cleaner, a plurality of nozzles, suction-producing means connected to each of said nozzles, means to conduct the exhaust of one of said suction-producing means to the intake of a second suction-producing means, and agitating means in'the nozzle connected to said second suction-producing means. l

3. A suction cleaner having a narrow noz-A zle and a wide nozzle, an agitator within said wide nozzle, a plurality of fans operatively connected in tandem to said narrow nozzle and one of said fans connected to said wide nozzle.

4. In a suction cleaner, a' nozzle, a second nozzle, a plurality of suction-producing means connected in tandem to said irst'nozzle, one of said suction-producing means only being connected to said second nozzle, for the purpose of producing av higher suc- -suction from said secrst fan chamber (i. A suction cleaner comprising a motor i casing, a fan chamber adjacent said motor casing, anozzle adjacent said vfan chamber and open thereto, a rotary agitator positioned therein a second fan chamber adjacent said nozzle, a conduit providing apassagevfrom said second fan chamber to the eye of the first fan chamber, a second nozzle adjacent said second fan chamber and open thereto, a driven shaft 'extending from said motor casing through said -fan chambers,

fans positioned thereon in said chambers and power transmission means connecting said shaft to said agitator.

l7. A suction cleaner including a plurality of suction nozzles, a plurality of means for setting upa high vacuum 1n one of saidv nozzles and means for setting up a low vacuum in a. second nozzle, characterized by the fact that said second-mentioned means is a part of said first-mentioned means.

8. In a suction cleaner, a plurality of nozzles, an agitator in one of said nozzles, a

plurality of means for setting up a high suction connected to one of said nozzles, means for setting up a low suction connected to said agitator-containing nozzle, characv terized by the'fact that said second-mentioned means is a part of said first-mentioned means.

. 9. In a suction cleaner, a plurality of nozzles, a fan chamber connected to each of said nozzles, a fan in each of said fan cham-- bers, a single source of power connected to said fans, a conduit leadin from the exhaust outlet of one fan cham er to the inlet of a second fan chamber, agitating means positioned in, the nozzle connected to said second fan chamber, and means operatively connecting said agitating means to said source of power. v p

10. In a 'suction cleaner, a. plurality of parallel nozzles, a fan chamber connected to each of said nozzles, a fan .in each of said fan chambers, a motor-driven shaft extending through said fan chambers connecting to said fans, a conduit leading from the exhaust outlet of one fan chamber to the inlet of a second fan chamber, a rotary agitator in the nozzle connected to the second fan chamber, and a power-transmitting belt connecting said agitator to said shaft.

11. In a suction cleaner, a plurality of nozzles, a plurality of suction-producing means connected to one of said nozzles, a part only of said suctionroducing means being connected to a secon nozzle, 'means to prevent the entrance of air into said second nozzle, and means to receive a dusting tool in said first nozzle.

12. In a suction cleaner, a nozzle, a second nozzle, a suction-producing unit interiorly connected directly to said first-mentioned nozzle, a suction-producing means interiorly connected directly to said secondmentioned nozzle, means connecting said suction-producing means in tandem, said firstmentioned nozzle having a removable portion adapted to receive a connecting inlet tube, and means to prevent the entrance of air into said second-mentioned nozzle.

13. In a suction cleaner, a nozzle, a second nozzle, a fan chamber having an inlet and an exhaust opening connected to said first-mentioned nozzle, 'a fan chamber connected to said second-mentioned nozzle, fans in said fan chambers, a conduit connectin the exhaust opening of said rst-mentione fanchamber to the second fan chamber, said first-mentioned nozzle having an opening in valinement with the inlet of the connecting fan chamber, said opening being adapted to receive a connecting tube of a dusting tool. Signed at North Canton, in the county of Stark, and State of Ohio, this 7th day of February, A. D. 1929.

WILMER H. TUCKER. 

